Cigarette lighter



Aug 23, 1949. R. FEURER CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Nov. 6, 1945 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE LIGHTER Robert Feurer, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assgnor, by mesne assignments, to` Fe'urer Bros., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November c, 1945, serial No. 626,949

The invention here disclosed relates to cigarette lighters.

Special objects of the invention are to provide an automatic type of lighter which will ignite upon release of a push-button or like element but which will be safe against accidental or unintentional operation, as by pressureagainst the device when `being carried in the pocket.

Other special objects of the invention are to provide a lighter made up of relatively few, simple parts andV which can be quickly, easily and inexpensively assembled without need of screws or other forms of fastenings.

Particularly it is an object of the invention to arrange the parts so that they may be connected in their proper operating relation by the mere act of assembly.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a pocket lighter having large fuel capacity for the size of the article.

Other desirable objects and the novel features by which all purposes of the invention are ate tained are set forth or will appear in the .course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the speciiication illustrates certain present preferred embodiments of the invention. Structure, however, may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration, al1 within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawing is a vertical sectional view of the lighter in closed relation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cover released and swung open;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views at right angles to those first shown, taken substantially on the planes of lines 3-3 and 1 -4, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a broken vertical sectional view similar` to Fig. 1 but showing parts at the opposite side of the article;

Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the device in closed relation and on a somewhat smaller scale;

Figs. A'Z and 8 are vertical sectional views of a modiiied form of the device in closed and open positions.

As shown in the several views, the igniting mechanism comprises a flint wheel I in engagement with a spring pressed int Il, for throwing sparks to a wick i2 issuing from a fuel chamber I3 taking Vup practically the entire interior of the casing l 4..

The side and end walls of the casing are eX- tended at the top, above the top wall I of the 3 Claims. (GLBT-7.1)

fuel chamber, to form an open top compartment l5 vented vin the sides at I 1 and serving as a ame protector.

When not in use .the open top of the case is closed by a vcover I8 having dependent side or edge anges I9 tting closely down inside the upwardly .extending side walls i6 of the case.

This cover is hingedly mounted by having its side anges i9 pivotally engaged over the stud 2.0, Fig. 4, which is headed 'at one end and held by screw 2l at the opposite end in supported relation on the upwardly extended side walls I6.

The int wheel is pivotally mounted on this same hinge stud, between the side .anges I9 of the cover, and also pivotally engaged on this stud is a washer 2.2 having .a spring pawl portion 23 in engagement with the ratchet teeth 24 on the side of the wheel and having an angular back portion 25 in .engagement with the under side of the cover so as lto turn with and to the same extent as thelco'ver. A small washer is shown at 2E, Fig. 4, engaged between this pawl washer and the adjoining side flange i9 of the cover for holding the pawl washer properly engaged with the ratchet teeth on the side of the flint wheel.

A coiled spring 21 having one or more turns engaged about the stud or the hub portion of the iiint wheel, Fig. 4, serves to throw the cover to open posi-tion, said spring having its opposite ends engaged with the top wall l5 of the case and with the under side of the cover, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2.

The cover carries a snuffel' tube 28 in position to engage `over the wick tube, in the `Closed relation of the parts, Fig. 1.

.For securing the cover in vclosed relation a latch is provided, shown in Fig. 3 in the form of an elongated bar 29, havinga hook at the upper end engageable witha short piece of round rod 3| secured at the under side of the cover and having a hook 32 at the lower end rockingly engaged under a lug or projection 33 on the inside of the front wall of the case. Y

This hooked latch bar 29 is rocked about the pivotal support provided by hook 32 and fulcrum lug .33 by ,a doubled or hairpin type spring 34 caught at one end beneatha holding projection 35 and engaging at 'the other end a shouldered portion .3.6 in back of and below the securing hook 30.

The latch spring 34 is show-n as seated in the hollow of ,a flat supporting piece 31 loosely retained in the thin, flat positioning Vchamber 38, Figs. 1 and 2, .provided interiorly of the case at the upper front portion of the fuel chamber.`

This positioning chamber or pocket 38 also serves to retain the latch element in upstanding relation.

The latch is locked against accidental or unintentional operation and on the other hand is shifted in a releasing direction by a push-button slide 39 operating in a vertically elongated slot 46 in the front wall of the casing, in line With the latch bar 29, Fig. 3.

This slide button is notched in its upper end, as indicated at 4I, Fig. 3, to interlockingly engage over the iront wall of the case at the upper Vend of the guide slot ttl, and it is normally yieldingly held in the locking position described'by a spring 42 shown interposed between the lower end of the slide and a shoulder 43 near the lowerY end of the latch bar. Y

In the closed condition the cover is secured by the spring pressed, hingedly mounted latch bar and itis locked `in this relation by reason of the notched engagement of the trigger slide over the Wall of the casing at il which prevents inward pressure on the slide to effect release of the latch. ToY unlock and release the cover it is necessary torrst slide the button 39,downward to clear the notched portion 4| of the latch from interlocking engagement with the wall of the case. Then the slide 39 can be pressed inwardly to force the hook free of engagement with the rod 3l `and, whereupon the spring ZIrwill snap the coverV` open and eiect ignition at the wick. This released condition is illustrated in Fig. 8. Y AAlsothere Visiillustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 a modified form of construction in which the latch is positioned and pivotally mounted by having a hooked orangularly extended lower end 32a pivotally entered in an opening 33a in the front wall of the casing.

While the flat positioning piece 31 may ordinarily b e desirable for positioning `and supporting the latchA spring 34, this piece is not absolutelyl essential, it being possible to shape the spring s o that Vit will extend fully to the bottom end wall 4Q of the front compartment 3B and be thereby wholly supported and positioned by the walls of this compartment. InY this invention the parts are correlated and maintained in their proper operative relations practically entirely by simple assembly of the parts.

irThus the flint wheel, actuating ratchet, cover and cover opening spring are cooperatively related and connected by simply mounting them as indicated on the hingeV stud 2li. Similarly'the latch, the latch spring, the slide button` and the slide locking springare secured and maintainedI in theirrproper operative relations by simply dropping them down into position in the flat pocket or positioning chamber in the front portion of the casing. To facilitate handling and particularly removal of the latch spring, the latter' may have an angularlyV inturned end as at i5 for engagement by pliers, screwdriver or other tool.

` What is claimed is: Y e

1'. Aecombination latch, lock and release mechanism for a lighter having a case and a spring opened cover and comprising a spring latch member cooperable with the cover to hold the cover closed and supported in the case `for inward yielding movement sufcientto release the cover, said case having an opening in the wall of the sameopposite said member, a push-button operable inwardly through said opening to effect inward-cover releasing movement of said memv bar and a spring for shifting the Same into cover holding position, said latch bar having a hooked inner end, said case having a shoulder for cooperative engagement by said hooked inner end and said latch bar further having a shoulder engageable over said spring for confining the latter in said pocket and whereby said parts may be assembledv by shifting said latch bar and spring intoV said pocket to a position with said hooked inner end of the latch' bar engaged over said shoulder of the case. Y

2L A' combination latch, lock and release mechanism for a lighter having a case and a spring opened cover and comprising a spring latch member cooperable with the cover to hold the cover closed and supported in the case for inward yielding `movement su'icient to release the cover', said case having an opening in the wall of the same opposite said member, a push-button operable inwardly through said opening to eiect inward cover releasing movement of said member, said push-button being confined for lateral shifting movement in said opening for engagement over said wall-to prevent inward latch releasing movement and spring means for yieldingly shifting said push-.button laterally into said engaged relation with said wall of the case, said case having a pocket conning and guiding said spring latch member for movement as described and said'spring latch member including a latch bar and a spring for shifting the same into cover holding position, said latch bar having a'hookedinner end, said case having a shoulderior cooperative engagement by said hooked inner end and said latch bar further having a shoulder engageable over said spring for confining the latter in said pocket and whereby said lparts, may be assembled by shifting said latch bar and spring into said pocket to a position with said hooked inner end of the latch bar engaged over said shoulder of the case and a bearing plate for saidV spring shaped to fit in and be thereby confined by the wallsof said pocket and whereby saidbearing plate will be held in said pocket by said spring after said latch ybar is engaged -with the shoulder as aforesaid.

3. ,Af combination latch, lock and release mechanism for `a lighter having a case and a spring opened cover and comprising a spring latch member cooperable with the cover to hold the cover closed and supported in the case for inward yielding movement suiiicient to release the cover, said case having an opening in the wall of the 'same lopposite said member, .a push-button operable inwardly through said opening to eect inward cover releasing movement of said member, said' push-button being conned for lateral shifting movement in said opening for engagement over said wall to prevent inward latch releasing movement and spring means for yieldingly `shifting said push-button laterally into said engaged relation with said wall of the case, said case having a pocket coniining and guiding said spring latch member forimovement as described and said `spring latch member including a latch baranda spring for shifting lthe same into cover holding position, said latch bar having a hooked inner end, said case having a shoulder for cooperative engagement by said hooked inner end and said latch bar further having a shoulder engageable over said spring for coniining the latter in said pocket and whereby said parts may be assembled by shifting said latch .bar and spring into said pocket to a position with said hooked inner end of the latch bar engaged over said shoulder of the case, said latch member being a lever having a hook at the upper end for holding cooperation with the cover and said hooked end portion being disposed at the inner end of said lever and having fulcruming engagement over the shoulder on the case and said spring acting on said lever to hold said hooked end portion in fulcruming engagement with the shoulder 4on the case.

ROBERT FEURER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

